Northern Territory will face Tasmania on the final day of the Cricket Australia U19 National Championships after suffering defeats over the weekend against Western Australia and New South Wales Country.
The match against Western Australia saw NT post a competitive 9/204 from their 50-overs, with captain Archie McCormick (Waratah) top scoring with 56 and Cadell McMahon (Palmerston) also registering a half century (54). 15-year old Junaid Mansoor (Waratah) provided some handy lower-order runs as he scored 16 and combined with McMahon for a 43-run partnership for the 9th wicket.
WA’s batting response was dominant, as last year’s U19 National Champions looked in control of the run chase from ball one and eventually passed the total at 3/205 in the 40th over. Matt St Clair (Southern Districts) got the first breakthrough in what was his first wicket at the U/19 national level, before Sam Barker (Southern Districts) and Mansoor both picked up consolation wickets with WA just 5 runs short of the target, with the latter ending with an impressive 1/17 off 7.2 overs.
Sunday’s match was more closely contested as the NT (186) fell short in their pursuit of NSW Country’s 7/228. Nicholas Fleming (Nightcliff) took the first 3 wickets of the NSW innings to put the Territory on top early, however opener Shaun Smith (74) combined with Hunter Hall (45*) for a 72-run 7th wicket partnership to see their side post a competitive 228. Fleming ended the innings with 3/32 off 10 overs, while Sam Barker (1/27), Junaid Mansoor (1/34) and Darwin’s Lenny Wilton (1/27) all contributed with one wicket.
In their run chase, NT got off to a strong start with Aayan Nadeem (43), Will Hardy (33) and Cadell McMahon (32) all making solid contributions as the score reached 3/122. Despite the efforts of Suhas Challa (16) and Nightcliff’s James Hatton (15), a series of middle-order wickets restricted the NT side’s run chase, eventually being bowled out for 186 in the 45th over.
The NT will play Tasmania on the final day to round out the U/19 National Championships.
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